Belgian police arrested a 52-year-old Belgian-Chinese senior researcher at Belgan, a bankrupt gallium nitride semiconductor maker, on suspicion of espionage and stealing trade secrets for a rival Chinese firm. The arrest occurred on May 10 at Brussels airport as the suspect, identified only as HL, prepared to fly to Beijing. Prosecutors allege HL simultaneously served as a director of a Chinese company financed by a Chinese investment fund, established months after joining Belgan.

Authorities seized data-storage devices and electronic communications and are hunting a second suspect. The case highlights escalating EU-China tensions over critical technologies, following Dutch restrictions on ASML exports to China and the Nexperia takeover linked to Zhang Xuezheng. Recent spying cases in Belgium include a Canadian intern of Chinese origin arrested at NATO’s SHAPE headquarters and an aide to MEP Maximilian Krah jailed for passing documents to Chinese authorities.

The Chinese embassy in Belgium did not immediately comment.